Swimming pool cleaning apparatus



vMay 9, 1961 A, GARAWAY 2,982,971h

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING APPARATUS Filed June 3. 1959 ,Y I I mmlllllllllll IN VEN TOR.

A rra/wirf United States Patent 2,982,971 I n SWIMMING `:rooL CLEANING APPARATUS Alexander Garaway, San Fernando, Calif. (5911 McDonie Ave., Woodland Hills, Calif.)

Filed June '3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,827

`s claims. (Cl. l4,-172) This invention relates to a uniquely constructed waterhose having both amusement and practical value and which is particularly adapted for attachment to a* water supply line associated with a swimming pool. The invention is embodied in a liexible water conduit provided with a novel outlet nozzle and a helically disposed brush'or scraper wound about at least part of the conduitlength which is disposed in the pool, the unit being so-shaped striction of the channel through which force is imparted to downwardly directed outlet jets to impel movement of the free end of the conduit beneath the water of the pool,`

generally oscillating the nozzle in a more-or-less lateral plane and sometimes raising it up. y

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention'to produce an article of the character described which produces jetcleaning and brushing action on the walls and especially the floor or bottom of a tank or swimming pool due-,toy the brush-like element coiled about the body of the conduit which conduit is swished back -and forthfover the pool bottom by the action of the current of water flowing through it.

varicolored particles which are thus shot upward into the path of light to impart a pleasing esthetic effect, such light weight colored particles of plastic or ,other nonabrasive material desirably being placed in the pool for.'

such purpose.

Another purpose it is to provide an amusing device of the character described wherein the nozzle-head and/or the conduit body are shaped and/or decorated to resemble a sea serpent or similar object,- Vwhich illusion is increased by the movement of the device. Such effect may be augmented by varying the water pressure in the line so as to cause the nozzle to raise 11p-'even above the pool level-and spray water toward the onlookers from time to time.

A further purpose is to provide an improved object lof the character described which is readily attachable and detachable to conventional water outlets normally associated with aquaria or other tanks such as swimming pools.

Other objects and advantages of thevinvention will be apparent from the following `description and claims, the novelty consisting in the features of construction, combination of parts, the unique relations of the members and the relative proportioning, disposition, and operation thereof, all as more completely outlined herein and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In addition, aside 'from the cleaningy action, the voscillating device is particularly elective in an. underwater lighted pool, in churning up sand, gravel or.

Patented May 9, ,1961

ICC

2 j In the drawings, which form ication: y

' Fig. 1 is a plan view of a swimming pool showing my device in operative position therein, with frozen positions of movement of the nozzle end indicated in broken part of the present lines;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through a side wall of the pool lwith the connection end of my device seen in' elevation; p f Fig. 3 is a medial sectional View through the coupling end of my device particularly showing the attachment means for reducing the diameter of the water line in connecting it to my conduit; y Fig. 4 is aside elevational View of a portion of theI conduit of my device, particularly showing the externally.k

` helically wound scraper or brushing element;

rFig. 5 is a transverse section through the conduit taken along the line 5 5 of Fig'.4 4 Withthe brush seen in elevation; t

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the nozzle head disposed immediately above thepool bottom; and

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the same. `In the illustrated embodiment of the invention particularly depicted in IFigs. 1 2, there is shown a more-or-less 'i1 conventional, kidney-shaped swimming pool 10 having threaded. A centrally apertured cap 22 is Athreaded on to l t Normally the hose 32 hangs downwardly from-the coun-l duit attachment point 16 with most of its length restingl downwardly converging side walls 12 dependent from a4 horizontally ared, encircling peripheral wall or ground level deck 12, both formed of concrete or analogous form-` Located along the side wall somewhat below the deck is the attachment end yof an outwardly projecting water supply line or conduit 16, typified retaining material.

(Fig. 3) by a pipe 18 embedded in the concrete wall and internally threaded for insertion of a short, tubular cou-,`

pling nipple 20, both ends of which nipple are externally thelouter end of the nipple in position to clamp the radial ange 24 of a How-reduction collar 26against the terminal edge of the nipple. The apertured distal end of, the collar is inwardly bowed to form an annular seat 28 for the terminal, peripherally enlarged, abutment ring 30 of my water hose 32 which is thus seen to carry the volume of. Water of the pipe 18 in a passage of half or less the diameter of the pipe and hence at amuch greater,

force and velocity.

on the oor of the pool and around this latter portion there is helically wound a radially projecting brushor scraper member 34 extending forward to the nozzle end and thus supporting the body of the hose above the pool,

wall by approximately the radial height of the brush. This scraper member 34 can be formed of natural, synthetic,` or metallic bristles or can be made of a continuous strip` of semi-rigid material such as glass fiber, stiiened plastic, etc. -In the case of individual bristles, they are rst secured to a narrow mounting band or strip 36 which is then attached to the body of the hose 32. Accordingly, as the hose is moved across the wall of the pool or tank, the brush or scraper -34 rubs or scrubs the contacting wall in a generally laterally oscillating pattern, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1. While the hose would notbe expected to rotate v560" in moving back and forth, in the poolthe advantage in having'the scraper mountedabout,

the entire circumference is that the hose can then be attached to the supply line 16 and dropped in the tank in any position of rotation without the necessity of aligning its rotary position. In the alternative, if the bristles on the bottom of the hose are worn away, it can be readily rotated a small amount to bling other bristles into supporting position.

To the free end of the hose is coupled a nozzle 38 which is of generally oval discus form, having an outwardly convex, smooth top 40 which may be decorated to resemble a serpentis head, and a forward, downwardly directed, restricted outlet'aperture 42. The bottomwall of the noule is formed with downwardly extending, arcuate protuberances 44 which support the nozzle above the pool bottom when at rest. Between the dependent supports 44 are downwardly diverging channels 46 surrounding a central anchoring section `formed vw'th a bottom concave surface 48. Water forced outward through the channels 46 creates a suction or downward pull on the dished area 4S thus usually holdingthe nozzle spaced a smallelevation above the pool bottom. In addition, ejection of water through the restricted openings into the body of water in the pool creates a turbulence and hissing sound which promotes the illusion of a sea serpent. The downwardly directed water jets also stir up sediment or larger particles from the floor of the pool and to take advantage ofesuch action, a layer of multicolored sand, gravel or plastic chips may be spread over the bottom of the tank, such particles creating an effervescent eifect as lthey rise and fall in the pool, which effect can be augmented by underwater lighting. Likewise the brush or scraper member acts to churn up such particles at it moves back and forth across the pool and the presence of such particles also increases the scouring eect on the wall.

The apparatus of my invention may also lbe used strictly as a cleaning apparatus which becomes operative whenever the filtering apparatus of the pool is placed in operation. The apparatus will function to brush the oor sur-v face of the pool, loosening the settled film of dirt on the bottom of the pool, stirring it into the water and thus causing it to be carried by the `circulating water into the skimmer and lter by which it will be removed from the water. As is well known, the operation of a swimming pool circulating and filtering apparatus in itself will not remove sediment clinging to the oor surface of the pool, but a supplemental operation such as brushing or vacuum cleaning is required for effective cleaning of the floor surface. My invention provides for automatic cleaning of the oor surface coincidental with and in response to the circulating action of the pool ltering system.

I claim:

1. In combination with a swimming pool having underwater lighting means and a layer of colored particles spread over the bottom thereof: a flexible water conduit having respective attachment and nozzle means carried at opposite ends thereof and having an outwardly projecting scraper element disposed lengthwise along said conduit in position to support the conduit above the bottom of the pool and to churn up said colored particles into the path of said underwater light as the conduit is moved transversely across the bottom, said nozzle means being formed with restricted, angularly downwardly diverging outlet apertures adapted to laterally move the nozzle end by ejection of water therefrom.

2. Apparatus for loosening sediment deposited on the oor of a swimming pool having a circulating system including an outlet in the side wall of the pool for delivering water into the pool, said apparatus comprising: a

water conduit having at one end thereof means for coupling it to said outlet and including a length of freely flexible hose extending to its free other end and to a distance beyond said coupling means such as to be capable of traversing a major portion of the area of said oor surface when moved laterally; scraper means extending helically around and along the length of said flexible hose, to said free end for contact with said floor surface to support said exible hose out of direct contact therewith and providing a sediment-loosening action in lateral movements of said hose; and an ejection nozzle coupled to said free end of the conduit and operative, when water is forced through said conduit under pressure, to transmit propulsive action to said exble hose at said other end of the conduit by jet-reaction force and with constantly changing directional effect such as to cause said flexible hose to swing laterally along said pool floor surface and thereby produce said lateral movements of said helical scraper means.

3. Apparatus as dened in claim 2, wherein said nozzle is generally of discus form and is provided in its under face with a series of downwardly and outwardly diyerging ejection outlets -operative to develop a suction effect drawing said nozzle downwardly toward said oor surface when in operation.

j, 4.y Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said scraper means is flexible and resilient.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said scrapermeans comprises an extended row of bristle tufts projecting radially from the exible hose and contacting said `oor surface at their tips to provide a brushing action.

6. In combination with a swimming pool, having a water circulating and purifying system including an outlet in a side wall of the pool for delivering water into the pool, means for loosening sediment from the floor surface of said pool, said means comprising: a water conduthaving at one end means detachably coupling it to sc aid outlet, including a portion of conduit extending from said outlet downwardly into the pool, and including a length of flexible hose extending from said downwardly extending portion of conduit a distance such as to traverse a majority of the said oor surface, a scraping element attached to said length of flexible hose, projecting radially therefrom and extending helieally therealong for substantially its entire length for supporting said length of exible hose upon said oor surface out of direct contact with the oor surface, and for effecting a scrubbing action against said oor surface to loosen sediment therefrom as the result of lateral movement of said flexible hose across said oor surface, and a nozzle on the other end of said conduit and operative, when water is forced through said conduit under pressure and ejected through said nozzle, to transmit propulsive action to said exible hose at said other end of the conduit by jet-reaction force and with constantly changing directional effect such as to cause said exible hose to swing laterally along said full oor surface and thereby produce said lateral movements of said helical scraping element.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 199,816 Fiske Jan. 29, 1878 845,411 Vaughn Feb. 26, 1907 1,484,027 Jacobs Feb. 19, 1924 I1,918,874 Shannahan July 18, 1933 2,785,010 Nelson Mar. l2, 1957 2,814,529 Amt Ncv. 26, 1957 2,893,644 Holden July 7, 1957 2,919,027 Blumenfeld Dec. 29, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,208 Germany Mar. 14, 1955 

